San Francisco Police Department, California
End of Watch: Saturday, February 16, 1884
Age: 37
Tour of Duty: 3 years, 10 months
Badge Number: 355
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: February 16, 1884
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Knife
Suspect Info: Never identified
Officer John Nicholson was stabbed after interrupting a burglary in progress at a grocery store at 1131 Pacific Avenue in San Francisco.
The suspect fled with Officer Nicholson in pursuit. Officer Nicholson chased the suspect to the corner of Pacific Avenue and Mason Street, where a struggle ensued, and the suspect stabbed him and fled. Officer Nicholson continued the chase and fired three shots at the suspect.
The suspect then turned on Officer Nicholson again and stabbed him in the neck and face, killing him.
In 1902, Officer Nicholson's photograph was installed at the San Francisco Police Headquarters, along with four other officers killed in the line of duty, where it was displayed until the California earthquake of 1906 when all of the portraits were lost.
Officer Nicholson had served with the San Francisco Police Department for over three years. He was survived by his fiancee.
He is buried at what used to be Calvary Cemetery, now Holy Cross Cemetery, in Colma, California.